The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of petunia plant obtained from crossing `Daddy Mix.` (.female.) having pink color petals `Pink Daddy` and a wild type of petunia plant (.male.) having white color petals, native to Brazil.
Petunia is a very popular plant and is used for flower bedding and potting in the summer season. There are only a few varieties of the petunia plant which do not have an upright growth habit and which have a high resistance to rain, heat, drought, and cold. The petunia which we filed previously `Revolution` series (Revolution Purplepink (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,915), Revolution Brilliantpink, (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,914), and Revolution Brilliantpink-mini (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,899) is a decumbent type plant having long stems, a lower plant height, abundant branching, and a high resistance to heat, cold, and rain. However, there are only a few varieties having bi-color of the flower. Accordingly, this invention was aimed at obtaining a new variety having a reddish purple color petal and bi-color of flower, together with features of said `Revolution` series.
The new variety of petunia plant according to this invention originated from a crossing of `Pink Daddy`, a true-breeding seed-reproduced line having a pink color petal that was reproduced from the petunia F1 seed, `Daddy Mix,` from T & M Limited of England as the female parent and a wild type of petunia plant native to Brazil as the pollen parent, in February, 1989 at the Plant Biotechnology Laboratory, Institute for Fundamental Research of Suntory Ltd., residing at 2913-1 Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi-Ken, Japan. From this crossing 550 seedlings were obtained in 1989, from which 3 seedlings were selected, propagated by cutting, and then grown as a trial by flower bedding and potting from the spring of 1990. Only one of the 3 resulting plants was selected. The botanical characteristics of the finally-selected plant were then examined, using a similar variety, `Revolution Brilliantpink-mini`, for comparison, from the spring of 1991. As a result, it was concluded that this petunia plant is distinguishable from any other variety, whose existence is known to us, and this new variety of petunia plant was named `Revolution Pinkvein`.
In the following description, the color-coding is in accordance with the Horticultural Color Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England (R.H.S. Color Chart), and the Inter-Society Color Council-Nation Buereau of Standards Color Name (I.S.C.C.-N.B.S. Color Name). A color chart based on The Japan Color Standard for Horticultural Plant (J.H.S. Color Chart) is also added for reference.
The female parent used in the breeding of `Revolution Pinkvein` is a true-breeding seed-reproduced line, `Pine Daddy`, having pink color petal that was reproduced from the Petunia F1 seed, `Daddy Mix` available from T&M Limited of England. This petunia plant is world wide marketed. The main botanical characteristics of this female parent are as follows.
Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: Opening obliquely upward. PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: Moderate resistance to rain, heat and disease, and moderate resistance to pests. PA0 Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: Opening obliquely upward. PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: High resistance to drought, relatively high resistance to heat, and moderate resistance to diseases and pests.
Growth habit.--Upright. PA2 Plant height.--30-40 cm. PA2 Spreading area of plant.--25-30 cm in diameter. PA2 Blooming period.--April to September, the southern Kanto area, Japan. PA2 Thickness.--3.0--6.0 mm. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation.--Absent. PA2 Branching.--Abundant. PA2 Pubescence.--Medium. PA2 Length of internode.--2.0-3.0 cm before blooming; 2.0-4.0 cm during blooming. PA2 Leaf attaching angle.--Horizontal. PA2 Shape.--Elliptic PA2 Size (average).--5.0-6.5 cm in length; 2.5-3.5 cm in width. PA2 Thickness.--0.4-0.5 mm. PA2 Color.--Moderate olive green to moderate yellow green (R.H.S. 146A-137C, J.H.S. 3508-3712). PA2 Pubescence.--Medium. PA2 Type.--Single. PA2 Shape.--Funnel-shape, with corolla of five segments or fused petals. PA2 Diameter.--10-12 cm. PA2 Color.--Red purple (R.H.S. 73A-B) with dark reddish purple (R.H.S. 79A-B) lines radiating from center portion. PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 normal pistil having a stigma and 5 normal stamens. PA2 Peduncle.--1.5-2.5 mm in thickness, and 2.5-3.0 mm in length. PA2 Growth habit.--Decumbent. PA2 Plant height.--20 cm. PA2 Spreading area of plant.--100-150 cm in diameter. PA2 Blooming period.--May to August in the southern Kanto area, Japan. PA2 Length from base.--50-80 cm. PA2 Thickness.--Main stem 2.0-3.0 mm; lateral stem 1.5-2.5 mm. PA2 Color.--Strong yellow green (R.H.S. 144B-144C, J.H.S. 3512-3513). PA2 Branching.--Over-abundant. PA2 Pubescence.--Dense. PA2 Length of internode.--1.0-2.0 cm before blooming; 1.5-3.0 cm during blooming. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite both before and during blooming. PA2 Shape.--Oval. PA2 Size (average).--4.5-5.5 cm .times. 2.5-3.5 cm. PA2 Thickness.--0.4-0.5 mm. PA2 Color.--Grayish olive green (R.H.S. 137A-137B, J.H.S. 3716-3717). PA2 Pubescence.--Few. PA2 Type.--Single. PA2 Shape.--Funnel-shape, with corolla of five segments of fused petals. PA2 Diameter.--4.0-5.0 cm. PA2 Color.--In the unopened stage (bud), yellow green (R.H.S. 149C-149D, J.H.S. 3303-3304); when open, green white (R.H.S. 157D, J.H.S. 3102; at full bloom, white (R.H.S. 155D, J.H.S. 2902). PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 pistil and 5 stamens, both normal. PA2 Peduncle.--0.9-1.2 mm in thickness, and 2.0-2.5 mm in length.
The pollen parent used in the breeding of `Revolution Pinkvein` is a wild type of petunia native to Brazil having white color petal, the seeds of which were gathered at Gramado, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil and introduced to Japan in October, 1983. This wild type of plant is presently maintained at the aforementioned Plant Biotechnology Laboratory, Suntory Ltd. The main botanical characteristics of this male parent are as follows.
This new and distinct variety of petunia plant, `Revolution Pinkvien`, was asexually reproduced by cuttings at the aforementioned Plant Biotechnology Labaratory, Institute for Fundamental Research of Suntory Ltd., residing at 2913-1 Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi-ken, Japan, and the homogeneity and stability thereof were confirmed.